Enhancing Core Teaching Skills with Technology





#2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments


Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

  • design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
  • develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
  • customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
  • provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching



My artifacts demonstrating this standard (What?)

Critical Thinking Skills: What Do I Do? What Would I Like to Do?



Critical Thinking Skill to be Developed

Description of What I Do Now

New Ideas for Change

Technology Tools I Could Use and How









Bloom's Taxonomy-Creating

In science class we study the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. We make monarch books and create monarch art projects.

I want the students to be responsible for the care of 1 caterpillar. Each child would have their own caterpillar jar. They would monitor the caterpillars' eating patterns and add leaves when necessary. The students will record their results in a journal and report daily findings to the class.

Students will use the Smartboard to compare results. The class will create a monarch caterpillar graph to record the eating outcomes and use voice threads to explain their observations. We will also create a Monarch blog and challenge other schools to participate in this activity and share their findings with us.

Bloom's Taxonomy-

Analyzing

We watch monarch videos and observe the metamorphisis of the monarch caterpillar.

Students will analyze the changes that occur during the monarch's life cycle and record findings in a journal. They will compare the monarch to other butterflies.

I could create a classroom wiki and blog about monarchs. We would explain and compare our observations with students in different schools in the USA and Mexico. Video conferences can also be used.


















Integration Plan - Resources and Searches

Resources I would use:

ePal Websites

Voice Thread Websites


Search Engines:

Google

Yahoo

Bing

Surfwax


Boolean Searches:

Michoacan and monarchs and not people

 "Mexico" and "Monarchs"

Monarchs and "North America"

 Monarch butterflies and "Migration"

Weather and "Monarchs"

"Monarch Migration"


**Barb's Diigo Library


Monarch Kindergarten Evaluation

 The following is an evaluation form I have created for my students. They will use this form when completing the Monarch Unit. The evaluation will be done in the 1st nine weeks. I will individually read it to each student. They will receive a sticker for each correct answer. If students answer at least 5 out of the 8 questions correctly, they will earn a reward.


 Monarch Assessment

 

1. Where do Monarch caterpillars live?

2. What do they eat?

3. How do they grow?

4. Name the 4 different stages in the Monarch life cycle.

5. How do you determine the sex of a Monarch?

6. Where does the adult Monarch migrate to? Why?

7. When does the Monarch butterfly return?

8. What does the Monarch butterfly do when it returns?


Monarch Butterfly Site: Life Cycle, Migration, Pictures, News, More!


.

Libriarian Interview

It was interesting to learn what digital resources were available to us in our district. Ms. Stuckey said we have Power Library, Access Pa., Encarta, Follett Destiny and video conferencing equipment. However, funding is being cut on some of these systems. We also have access to Discovery Education.
Ms. Stuckey incorporates technology in all grade levels, but begins teaching responsibility and reliability in the 4th grade. She targets these concepts by eighth grade. Eighth graders study plaigerism, copyright and evaluate websites. Ms. Stuckey uses RADCAB with her students to evaluate websites.
Currently, we need to go to the library to access some of the digital resources. We are in the process of making them accessible on our homeroom computers. I am enthusiastic about what is available to our faculty and students.

My Monarch Lesson with Technology - Module 6

Students are divided into cooperative learning groups. Each are assigned a stage in the monarch's life cycle.

Websites from our Diigo provided information that was applied to their group task. Voice threads were used

to describe the monarch stages. In the future I would modify this lesson by creating a monarch butterfly wiki. We will share and collaborate with parents on our wiki.

Cooperative Learning

Summary Page Starting Ideas Additional ideas and resources: 1. Have students use discussion boards for the planning and implementation of a project. 2. Use Diigo for notetaking on websites. This can be shared with a group and/or the teachers. 3. Use Inspiration for group brainstorming and project organization. Color code the contributions/assignments of each participant. 4. Google Docs and Spreadsheets. 5. Writeboard ||=
http://www.edutopia.org/search/apachesolr_search/Cooperative%20Learning
Technology Applications
 George Lucas Foundation Instructional Module http://www.glef.org/PBL/index.html
 Tom Snyder software.
 WebQuests.
 Project-Based Learning.
 Interactive software.
 Arcview (GIS)
 Adaptations – KidPix.
 Group multimedia projects.
 E-Pals.
 ThinkQuest.
 Progressive stories with word processors.
 Peer editing using Notes function with Microsoft Office.

Module 7 --- My Innovative Project

I am reviewing consonant and vowel sounds with my students. I have created an interactive game with my Smartboard. It is called Vortex. The students are given a list of letters. They guide letters into a consonant or vowel vortex. Correct answers are applauded, incorrect ones are thrown out. It gives immediate feedback and encourages participation. I also would use BRUSHster, Kerproof and Imagination Cubed as online sources to encourage review of letters. ( These websites allow students to draw, compose books, and many other activities. ) One student can draw a picture, while another writes the beginning letter sound. I would like to create a classroom alphabet book with letters and student drawings. We can invite other kindergartners to participate through the Internet. We can also invite our older preschool students or first graders to participate in these activities.


Module 7 ---- Innovative Tools


I enjoyed researching the many tools available to us on the internet. I tried Voki, Vickiwiki, Kerproof, Imagination Cubed, BRUSHster and a few others. I liked the education link on Voki, but some of the videos were unavailable because they were from the United Kingdom.
Vickiwiki was very good. It pemitted use of digital cameras to teach multiple intelligences in the classroom. It motivated and instructed students and taught comprehension, retention and application skills.
I enjoyed the drawing and designing websites. My students can use their imagination and reading skills to design and write stories or create learning games. I, myself, enjoy drawing and creating learning games. These websites give me the opportunity to create new instructional activities for my classroom.
It was fun creating emails using the BabyMail, Shrekify Yourself and Arby's Juniorize webs. These allow you to use them in the classroom or for personal use.
There are many internet tools availble to us as teachers. I'm excited and anxious to try some in my classroom.

 Module 7 --- Authentic Assessment

Instructions for Presentation Rubric



Kindergarten students are divided into 4 groups. Each group is responsible to study and report on one life stage of the Monarch butterfly. Oral reports, voice threads and visuals will be used.

Rubric will be presented on the Smartboard. The teacher will read the questions and ask students to score each group. Students score the group presentation by drawing a smiley face beside each true question. The teacher will model the procedure before scoring begins.

Students add the results and score the presentation. Students scoring 4-6 smileys have passed and did a good job. Students scoring 1-2 smileys must review, rewrite and represent their lesson another day.























My Reflection on meeting this standard (So What?)

The above artifacts represent that I have learned how to incorporate different technology tools into my curriculum and learned how to create authentic lessons
and assessments for my students.

My Future Learning Goals related to this standard (Now What?)

My future learning goal is to continue learning new types of technology and use this technology to educate and provide differentiated instruction for my students